


To Care (for One Another)

by RevengePanda



Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types, Ultimate Spider-Man (Cartoon 2012)
Genre: Gen, Goblin is really evil, One Shot, Team Bonding, There might be more to come, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:54:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23415658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RevengePanda/pseuds/RevengePanda
Summary: Peter looked at the objects, sitting there, splattered with blood.They were dead. And all he knew is that he was angry.Okay so this is a one-shot, there might be more one-shots to come in this same story/collection thing.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Ultimates
Comments: 8
Kudos: 60





	To Care (for One Another)

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this one takes place sometime after the team stopped living at Peter’s house. So like late season two or something. The Goblin is still super evil and whatever. It's just the Ultimates in this one. I have this headcanon that they all care super deeply about each other (like a little family) but all just suck at expressing it. I just have a lot of feelings that need to be expressed, and team dynamics are something that I’m obsessed with. This has NOTHING to do with my other story though. Also, screw the show’s timeline, I can’t be bothered with matching things up.
> 
> Notes: Words written like: _{This}_ are spider-shoulder-angel. Words written like **_{This}_** are spider-shoulder-devil. Words like **[This]** are Peter’s cutscene things.

Sam wasn’t having the best day. 

He’s sitting on a couch, a bowl of popcorn lying listlessly on his lap. 

The move back to the helicarrier had made him realize just how much he misses normal life. 

Like what the web-head has with his Aunt May. 

Instead of a loving aunt, tastefully decorated house and well-used kitchen, he has grey, impersonal bunks, and early-morning stealth training. 

But whatever, it's not like he needs all that mushy stuff!

He’s training to be the galaxy’s best super space-cop, and if sacrificing a cozy house is what he has to do, it's well worth it. 

He stares at his buttery popcorn, which has long cooled. 

Then he gets an idea. Since cold popcorn is no good, maybe he could use his powers very, very carefully and reheat the bowl!

 _Yeah_ , he thinks. _That’ll work_.

He slides his helmet over his head, his suit materializing in a flash around his body. He wiggles a bit, getting comfortable. 

Then, ever so carefully, Sam heats a singular finger, the Nova Force glowing a dull blue. 

Everything works out for about three seconds. 

Until it doesn’t.

The popcorn bursts into flames, the smell of charred butter and smoke wafting across the room as the green plastic of what used to be a bowl drips sadly into a puddle. 

With a blaring screech, the fire alarms kick in and the sprinklers blast on, drenching everything in sight. 

Nova sputters like a wet kitten as the rest of the team (at least those who live on the helicarrier) sprints through the door. 

Ava takes one look and immediately stalks over to Nova, pushing her face into his helmet. 

“What did you do this time? Look around! Everything is ruined! My homework is ruined!”

Nova chuckles nervously, sliding out of the reach of Tiger’s claws, which were flexing angrily.

“It was just an accident, guys! The popcorn, well, uhm . . .,” Nova struggles to think of an explanation, “it exploded. I think Webs was trying to play another prank on me!” 

Luke shakes his head subtly.

“Bro, if you ever want us to believe you, you are going to have to learn to lie much better than that.”

Danny smiles softly, saying, “It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.”

The other three groan simultaneously. 

“What does that even mean, Danny?” asks Sam. 

“Dude, we’ve been over the fortune cookie thing, and you know that nobody understands the things that you say,” says Luke. 

Ava just turned back towards the table, where her homework is lying in a sopping mess. 

Groaning, she says, “Nova, you owe me big time for this one.”

“But you’re so smart, Tiger! You can just do it all again in like no time, right?”

Tiger snarls, deep in her throat. 

“It took me two and a half hours to finish that stack right there!” She leaps forwards, claws unsheathing with a dangerous _shnick_.

With a yelp, Sam takes off, barely dodging the swipe. 

“Well, I see you have other things to worry about, so I’ll leave you to it!”

A blue flash and Nova is gone, disappearing down the hallway. 

White Tiger launches after him, sputtering, leaving the other Luke and Danny chuckling to themselves. 

Danny turns and asks “Should we stop them before somebody gets hurt?” 

“Nah bro, Sam’s had this comin’ to him for a while now. And Ava won’t mess him up too bad, just enough that he might learn not to make such dumb mistakes as much.”

Both boys digest that statement for a second until Danny raises one cynical eyebrow. 

Luke breaks out into laughter and manages to choke out a sentence, “Who am I kidding?! Sam’ll never learn, not at this rate.”

The boys take one last look around the disaster of a room and leave, laughing too hard to realize that the communicators on their wrists are blinking.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Spider-Man dodges yet another punch, his free hand scrambling at the communicator on his wrist. 

**[What is your favorite wall-crawler doing fighting Mean, Green and Ugly all by himself when he has a perfectly good team that should be fighting with him, you ask? Well, I couldn’t tell ya. Nobody’s picking up, and when the Goblin spotted me I couldn’t very well leave until my team decided to get their sorry butts in gear!]**

“Guys, team, anybody? Hello?”

The screen flips to static, and Spidey stares at in disbelief for a second. 

“Oh, spider-sense!”

He leaps up just in time, flipping over a handful of pumpkin bombs. 

“Haha, missed me, please god don’t kiss me”

Goblin snarls at him, fist curling. 

“Where’s your little team, hero? Did they abandon you in your moment of need?”

“Nah,” Peter says, webbing his way after Goblin’s silver glider, “they know I can handle you without them. There’s no need for them!”

To himself, he mutters, “C'mon guys, pick up, pick up!”

Goblin tosses a few razor bats, which Spider-Man dodges with ease. 

“Hey Gobby, did you see my acro _bat_ ics? Also, you’re kinda running out of tricks. I learned how to fight these old things ages ago. They kinda _suck_.” 

“Why you insufferable brat!” Goblin roars, swinging his glider around right as Spider-Man catches up with him. 

“Don’tcha mean insufferable _bat_?”

He launches a gloved fist towards Spidey’s stomach, and Spidey doesn’t have enough time to dodge. 

The punch sends him flying back into a window, glass shattering all around him until he crashes into a desk. Everyone in the office complex screams, some begin cowering and running as the Goblin himself glides forwards, looming over the downed Spider-Man. 

Peter, groaning, pulls himself to his feet. 

“That was a harder hit than usual, Jolly Green. Have you been eating your vegetables?”

Goblin roars in anger, lunging forwards, but this time Pete is ready. He dodges to the side, webbing a desk, and twists, launching the desk at Goblin’s head. 

It connects with a solid thump. 

“Ha-ha, looks like you just got _schooled_!”

**[Okay, I’ve been fighting the Goblin for a solid fifteen minutes in full public view. Where is my team?]**

Unfortunately, Goblin seemed unmoved by both the joke and the desk. 

Gobby jumped forwards, bringing both fists down in what would’ve been a bone-breaking attack if Spider-Man hadn’t nimbly back-hand sprung out of the way.

“How did you not laugh at that joke? Do you need me to explain it?”

Spider-Man thwips webbing at Goblin’s face, blocking his vision. As Goblin’s hands go up to pull it off, Peter uses the time to get in a couple of solid kicks, and is dodging away as Goblin’s newly freed hand grasps his ankle. 

Pete is whipped around and thrown into a wall with a solid crack. He feels his head connect with a bang and everything goes fuzzy. 

The last thing he sees is his communicator, still buzzing with static as his eyes slip closed. 

______________________________________________________________________________

Peter awakes with a sigh. He knows this feeling. These are Goblin’s restraints. 

He opens his eyes, and sure enough, Donkey Ears himself is hard at work over some bubbling test tubes. 

**[Okay, why does every evil lab have those same exact green bubbling test tubes? Do they even have a purpose? Does every villain shop at the same evil lab decoration store?]**

Goblin turns to him with a smirk. 

“Your team still hasn’t shown their sorry faces. I’m quite worried they have abandoned you.”

“Are we still talking about this, Gobs? I already told you, they know I don’t need their help to beat you.”

“Au contraire, Spider. I believe you do need their help.”

“Hmm, nope!”

“Evidence from your recent battles, such as Electro, suggest otherwise.”

“I really don’t think so. I was a lone hero when I started, and when the team is ready to be lone heroes without me, I’ll be a lone hero myself. A lone _wolf spider_ , if you will.”

Goblin smirks, his jagged teeth glinting in the sickly green light from the monitors. 

It’s the type of smirk that sends shivers running down Peter’s spine. 

“Well then, mister lone wolf, then you aren’t too worried about the reason your so-called team didn’t show up today?”

A recording device hovers above the interaction, watching everything and transmitting it directly to Goblin’s computer for further use. 

“Well, I am kinda annoyed. How are they supposed to be heroes if they can’t show up to fights on time?”

“Always the humorous one, you are. But I’m afraid your little team isn’t going to be on time for many fights after today.”

Spider-Man’s posture changes. Every muscle in his body goes rigid, straining against the restraints. 

Goblin smirks. 

“What do you mean, Goblin?’ Demands Spidey. 

“Well, I’m not quite sure I understand, Spider. Do you or do you not care about this little team of yours?”

“Stop it with the word games! Tell me what you did, creep!”

“Ah, temper, temper, Spider-Man. And I thought you were the one who liked word games so much. Don’t be hypocritical.” 

Goblin’s sing-song voice was beginning to grate on Peter’s nerves. 

“Tell me what you did, Goblin! Tell me now!”

“Well, Spider, only since you want to know so badly. The reason your team couldn’t respond to your little electronic friendship bracelet there was because they couldn’t. 

“What do you mean?” Spider-Man was panicking now, actively struggling against his restraints, the eyes plates of his mask narrowed to tiny slits. 

“Hmmm” mused Goblin. “Perhaps it's better if I just show you.”

A flip of a button and a yellow light illuminates a table across the lab. 

Spider-Man’s eyes take a second to adjust to the light, his eyes slowly focussing. 

There was silence as he registered what was on the table. He blinked, blinked again. The image didn’t change. 

On the table were four simple items. 

A dented Nova helmet, splattered with a ghastly red liquid. 

A neon tiger amulet, still attached to threads of a white belt. 

A pair of dark shades, missing a lense. 

A scrap of green fabric, a yellow wing emblazoned in the center. 

“What, no jokes for me this time? I have defeated your team, it was pathetic how easily they fell when you weren’t there to guide them, to protect them. And now you will fall as well, your spirit broken . . .”

Goblin continued gloating, but the words weren’t registering in Peter’s ears.

The only thing he could comprehend was the splatters of blood, the signs of struggle displayed across the harsh metal table. 

**[Goblin killed them. HE KILLED MY TEAM!]**

**_{Well, pal. You know what this monster deserves.} *Spider-Devil draws a finger across his throat*_ **

_{No, no! He doesn’t deserve that! He needs to be taken in, justice and responsibility need to be preserved!}_

**_{Kid, look. This monster slaughtered your friends, your family. And we both know no prison can keep him for long. What if Harry and MJ are next, or Aunt May? And you, only you, have the means to deal with a creature like this.}_ **

At that Spider-Angel fades away sadly. Spider-Devil smiles and disappears with a harsh cackle.

The rage Peter feels as he considers his options is indescribable. And he can’t help but agree with Spider-Devil. This monster deserves more than a slap on the wrist from SHIELD. And Peter has the power to give him the punishment he deserves. 

Goblin’s speech shudders to a stop as a groaning sound echoes through the lab. 

_SchreeeeeeEEEEEEEee_

He whips around and finds the restraints ripped apart, Spider-Man crouched low to the ground, his signature pose looking more ready for action than ever.

“Oh, you look angry, Spider-Man. But I thought you didn’t need your team, that you were a lone wolf, that they held you back. I just figured I’d remove the problem, make life easier for you.”

“Stop it,” growls Spider-Man. 

“Oh, but I didn’t stop, did I? Not when the tiger screamed, not when I shot that annoying glowstick out of the sky, not when -”

“You don’t get to talk about them!” Screams Spider-Man, launching himself across the room. 

Spider-Man’s fist cracks across Goblin’s jaw. 

In the silence, there's a crunch, then a gurgle as Goblin spits out a sharp yellow tooth. 

Spider-Man stops, back in his crouch, and looks at the tooth, at the blood-stained spit, and smiles grimly to himself.

**[It’s time for Goblin to pay for what he did, for what he’s done.]**

Goblin rolls his neck, asking, “So that’s how you want to play this?”

Spider-Man doesn’t bother responding. 

They rush at each other, each struggling to gain an advantage. 

Spider-Man thwipped webbing over Goblin’s face. 

He rips it off and replies with a volley of pumpkin bombs, leaping towards his glider. 

He doesn’t get far. 

Spider-Man, with a well-aimed web, yanks him back down and into a wall of monitors, sending sparks flying. 

Peter’s heart and head are pounding, he can hear nothing but the phantom screams of his team.

He watches, almost in slow-motion, as Goblin reaches towards him, and Peter dodges, flipping up and over to deliver a harsh kick to Goblin’s chest. 

Spider-Man wants to see him pay for his sins in blood. He wants to rip him apart, to hear him beg for mercy, the same mercy he didn’t show his team, no, his family. 

So he attacks. 

And Goblin, for all his efforts, can’t stop him. 

Hit after hit, and Goblin takes them all, groaning in pain. 

But all Peter can see are the faces of his team, twisted in pain and terror as the Goblin kills them, one by one.

_Crunch_

Goblin’s ribs give out, snapping wetly. 

The monster arches his back and roars in pain and Spider-Man just stares, confused.

How can something so evil feel pain? 

He raises a fist again, ready to deliver the final blow, to deliver justice, when he hears a strained sound. 

Goblin is laughing, a soft, strained chuckling sound that echoes faintly in the room.

Vaguely, Peter notices that the room is burning. 

He raises his fist again, desperate to finish it, to end the monster, but all he can think about is the fight with Kraven, where he told Ava that taking revenge was wrong, that killing would make him just as bad as the killer.

He thinks of Uncle Ben, his gentle guidance and forgiveness, and drops his fist. 

He can’t disappoint them, he can’t dishonor his team.

So he drops Goblin’s form, which is still laughing faintly, and fumbles for his communicator, pressing the button that will call Fury. 

He looks at the table, at the objects engulfed in flames, burning reminders of his failure. 

He drops the communicator on Goblin’s broken chest and steps back from the growing pool of blood. Spider-Man doesn’t remember what he cut Goblin with, or where, but suddenly he’s afraid. 

He’s afraid of what he did, of what he can do. 

Tears prick the corners of his eyes as he leaves, webbing away on sore arms, wincing as his burned fingers chafe. 

He swings for hours, maybe minutes, before he collapses on a roof, chest heaving as he sobs silently. 

______________________________________________________________________________

“Don’t you think it’s kinda weird we haven’t had to go out and fight crime yet? I mean it’s a Friday, and we’re always fighting crime on Fridays” Asks Luke. 

“Dude, don’t say that! You’ll jinx us! Just enjoy the break!” Replies Sam, engrossed in a video game. 

Ava stretches and checks the time. It's almost nine. “You’re right Luke. Usually, we are busy by now.”

“You’re about to be busy.”

The team jumps as Coulson enters the room, holding a tablet.

“Fury just got a call from Spider-Man, but Spider-Man didn’t talk. All we could see in the video was a burning room. We pinged the location of the communicator, and we are sending you down to investigate and find Spider-Man. I’m sending you the location now. Report back what you find.”

With that, Coulson leaves. 

Sam groans. 

“We are always picking up that wall-crawler’s messes! I say we don’t go. I want to enjoy my Friday!”

Ava glares at him as she pulls out her mask, and Sam relents. 

“Okay, okay, whatever.”

TIMESKIP

The team dropped down to the city and began to head towards the warehouse district, where the location was pinged last. 

Their pace increases as they see yellow-tinged smoke coming the tracker’s location 

When they get there, Power Man rips through the garage door. 

None of them will acknowledge it, but they are all worried about their wall-crawling, web-slinging leader. 

“Come on, slowpokes!” Calls Nova as he blasts past them into the blazing interior of the building, dodging licks of flame. 

Nova and Power Man are the only two who could safely enter the building, with Power Man’s invulnerable skin and Nova’s Nova Force protecting them. 

Nova was searching the upper levels, which weren’t burning yet, when he hears Power Man call ‘Get over here Nova, I need help!”

He’s instantly worried, because when Power Man says he needs help, it’s serious. 

He darts over and slams to a stop. 

Power Man is straining against a metal beam, stopping it from crushing an immobile form. 

For a second Nova’s heart leaps to his throat as he wonders if the form is Spidey. 

But it's much too bulky, and well, green? 

He gasps and realizes he’s looking at the Goblin. 

“Get him out of here!” Yells Power Man. “I can’t hold this thing up much longer!”

Nova grabs Goblin as best he can and lifts him, straining, up and towards the exit. 

As soon as Goblin’s clear, Power Man moves, the pillar crashing down, sending billows of flame and ash towards him. 

“Spider-Man!” Calls Power-Man, coughing. 

He hears a crunch and looks down. He’s stepped on a red communications bracelet. 

Spidey’s bracelet. 

He grabs it, not feeling the heat from the blazing metal, and takes off towards the exit, escaping just as another beam crashes down behind him. 

Luke walks towards the rest of the team, who are all standing around Goblin, who is lying on the ground. 

He opens his mouth to tell them about the bracelet, and then snaps it shut as he fully registers Goblin. 

Goblin’s normal metal armor is wrenched apart, his gloves gone completely. His chest is bloody, and it looks wrong. 

It’s sunken in, with jagged edges and awkward ridges. Dark purple bruises line his jaw and blood runs down from his very broken nose. 

Goblin’s right arm, his dominant arm, is twisted in a direction that looks very wrong, and his shoulder has dark glass sticking out of it, blood oozing out of it. 

And what scares Luke most is that, even with all of these horrible injuries, Goblin seems to be laughing. 

It’s a strained, painful laugh, to be sure, but it's there. 

Danny says what they are all thinking. 

“What happened here?”

Goblin’s laughter gets louder, louder, louder. 

Then it stops. 

“You,” he rasps. “You happened. To - to the Sp-spider.”

Ava hisses and steps forwards, to where Goblin can see her. 

“What happened, Goblin! Tell us!”

Goblin stares at her blankly. 

“He, he has mor-more power, more po-power than I ever kn-kne-knew. So strong, so angry.”

The team eyes each other, Nova mouthing “Spidey?”

Goblin is still muttering, blood bubbling in his mouth.

Ava turns away, feeling sick. What happened to Goblin? What, who did this to him?

It couldn’t have been Peter. It just couldn’t have been. Peter taught her to be better, to not take revenge, to be a hero. 

Peter, no, Spider-Man, couldn’t have done this. 

Danny clicks his communicator, Coulson picking up immediately. 

“We need a pickup for a supervillain at this location. Send medical, Goblin is severely hurt. And a fire control team needs to be sent, the building is burning.”

Coulson nods, giving the orders. “Did you find Spider-Man?”

Danny shakes his head, “No, but Power Man found his communicator in the building. We’ll find him.”

With that, Danny hangs up, turning to where Nova is watching the blazing warehouse with uncharacteristic stillness. 

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Iron Fist says, “Do not worry. We will find Spider-Man. He is resourceful, he wouldn’t have gotten trapped.”

“Me? Worried?” Asks Sam, incredulous. “I’m not worried. I’m just wishing I had a bag of marshmallows!”

Danny hides his smile with a shake of his head as he starts to turn away. 

But Nova keeps speaking. 

“But I don’t understand why he wouldn’t call us! I mean, Goblin is like the worst villain! Why wouldn’t Spidey call up backup!”

At that, Goblin began to speak louder. “Oh, he tried. But he couldn’t, I didn’t let him! He tried and tried, but he didn’t know he couldn’t!”

“What do you mean?” Asks Power Man, confused.

“I mean, imbecile, that I blocked his tech. He thought that you were just ignoring his calls!”

Goblin cackles, his laugh grating on the team’s nerves. 

“But you should have seen him! Oh, it was glorious! His power, he didn’t hold back!”

Goblin deteriorates into raucous laughter, choking on his own blood as a SHIELD team finally arrives, the squad leader telling the team that “they’ll take it from here.”

The team backs away, shocked. 

Sam breaks the silence. “Did Spidey do that? To Goblin?”

The rest of the team flinches, the answer bubbling to their tongue, but they are unable to say it. They refuse to believe that their happy-go-lucky, but admittedly noble, team leader could be capable of something so brutal. 

“Maybe Goblin injected him with Venom or Carnage again?” Asks Danny, always the peacekeeper. 

“Okay,” starts Ava, switching into hero mode. “We have to find Peter and figure out what happened. That means we need to spread out, keeping our comms open. We’ll make a radius around the area. I assume that he’s probably hurt, which means he probably couldn’t swing far. So spread out and find him.”

They agree and scatter, searching rooftops and alleyways. 

Nova flies fast, determined to find Peter first, to figure out what happened. 

He’s been searching for maybe ten minutes when he spies a bright red smudge on a rooftop. 

A closer inspection reveals it to be Spider-Man. 

He calls the rest of the team, telling them where he is, and approaches the figure slowly. 

Spidey is curled up next to an AC unit, rocking back and forth, hands wrapped around his knees, chest shaking in silent sobs. 

“Spidey?” Calls Nova. 

Spidey’s head lifts, his eye plates glowing eerily in Nova’s light. Vaguely, Nova notices splatters of red marring the white surface. 

“N’va?” Spider-Man slurs through sobs, head tilting sharply to the side. 

Nova reaches for him, to put a hand on his shoulder, and Spidey tries to scramble weakly away, whispering, “No, no, s’ry, I’m s’ry, not real, not real, not real!”

Then Spidey slumps forwards, his sobs and whispers ceasing as he passes out. 

The rest of the team arrives shortly. 

Nova turns to them, he has Pete in his arms. “I’m taking him to the helicarrier now, he needs medical attention.”

“Go,” says Ava. “We’ll call for transport.”

Nova takes off, carrying Spider-Man bridal style, blasting towards the dark shape of the helicarrier. 

By the time the rest of the team is at the medbay, Doc Conners has already situated Spidey on a med-table, and is scanning for injuries. Nova is floating nervously to the side, feet swinging impatiently. 

Now that Peter was on the table, Nova can see the full extent of his injuries. There are less than he expected, at least when based on the state Goblin is in. 

But that doesn’t mean that the injuries that are there aren't bad. 

The red suit on Spidey’s hands and feet appears charred, almost melted. Around Spidey’s shoulder is the shape of a large hand, burned into the suit by an electrical glove. 

There are a few cuts in his leg, but nothing major, shallow wounds at best. 

But other than that, nothing. 

Danny turns to the Doc and asks “Is he going to be okay?”

The good doctor flashes him a kindly smile and says “He’ll be perfectly fine. He’ll need to limit the use of his hands and feet for a couple of days at most, but with his healing factor he should be fine relatively quickly. He’ll be waking up soon if you guys want to stay.”

The team glanced around at each other, nonverbally confirming that they do, in fact, want to stay. 

Not long after Doc Conners takes his leave, Spidey begins to stir. 

Powerman goes to put a hand on his shoulder, to reassure him, to let him know that they are there for him but doesn’t have time to react as Spidey shoots up both arms, grabbing and throwing Powerman into the wall, shattering the observation glass. 

In less than a second, Spider-Man has webbed Powerman to the ground where he fell and is in his signature crouch, eye plates narrowed drastically. 

“I’ll kill him” he slurs, pitching forwards slightly as he glares at the team. 

“Where is he? Where is Gobl’n?” 

Ava sends a meaningful glance at the others and they back up, except Danny, the peacekeeper, who pipes up. “Spider-Man, be at peace. Goblin is locked up, you are safe. Do not wo-”

Danny is cut off as Spidey hisses (literally hisses) at him. 

White Tiger shifts into a defensive position, calling to Danny.

“I don’t think Webs is in his right mind right now, Fist, maybe you better back off.”

Danny agrees softly, moving carefully out of Spidey’s immediate punching range.

Spider-Man is still muttering, and even Ava’s enhanced hearing can only pick up bits and pieces. 

“Hate him . . . killed them . . . stupid . . . not good enough . . . gone . . . killed my team . . . my fault” 

She backs up, grabbing Danny and pulling her with him as she gestures for the rest of the team to follow. 

Power Man makes short work of the webs, edging around the room without taking his eyes off of Spidey, who is still swaying in the center of the floor, watching all of them with dangerously narrowed eye plates. 

Peter’s still muttering as the team edges softly out of the door.

Once they are out of Peter’s hearing range, Ava turns to the team and hisses sharply at them, “Guys. He thinks Goblin killed us.”

“What?” Asks Sam, his mouth twisting in confusion and anger. 

“He was whispering to himself,” Ava replies. “He kept saying stuff like ‘killed my team’ and ‘it’s my fault.’”

“Wait,” Power Man interjected. “So Goblin tricked Webs into thinking we were dead? That he killed us?”

Danny nodded solemnly. “It would appear so. That would explain his confusion when he awoke and saw us. It would also explain his apparent rage.”

“Oh.” Whispered Sam, mostly to himself. “That would explain what he did when I found him. He was curled up on that roof, sobbing, but when he saw me he kept apologizing and saying I ‘wasn’t real.’”

The team shared a significant, worried glance. 

Ava sighed, realizing none of the boys (except maybe Danny) had any clue what to do with this situation. 

“Okay boys, listen up. We need to take this slow and steady. He’s like a wounded, angry animal. Any sudden moves could scare him into attacking or fleeing. We need him to realize we aren’t dead, so masks off everybody.”

Everyone took off their masks, except Nova. 

“C’mon Nova, helmet off,” Sighed Ava.

“Ummm, no, did you see him in there? He threw Power Man across the room with one hand! If I go in there without this helmet, and he attacks me, I’m a dead man.”

Ava scowled, claws unsheathing. 

“If you don’t take your helmet off, you’ll be a dead man either way.”

Sam gulped and landed, wrenching his helmet off of his head. 

Ava smirked and sheathed her claws, mentally saving Sam’s expression to laugh at during a less serious time. 

“Okay guys, so we need to enter carefully, no sudden noises, no sharp movements. Danny, can you do the talking? You have the most calming presence.”

Danny nodded and took the lead, walking back to the med bay door. He opened it carefully, looking for Peter. 

He isn’t on the bed, he isn’t still crouching in the center of the floor, so where could he be? 

Slowly, Danny shifted his gaze upwards. 

There was Spidey, in the far corner of the room, curled up on the ceiling, shaking with silent sobs. 

Danny gestured for the rest of the team to follow him as he sidestepped broken glass and made his way towards Peter. 

Somehow, Peter heard them and his head shot up, eye plates widening to their full extent. 

For the first time, the team fully recognized the red splatters that decorated the suit’s eyes. It was blood, and based on the injuries, it isn’t Peter’s own but Goblin’s blood. 

Danny opened his mouth, about to speak when Peter spoke first. 

“No, no, no! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I should have been better, faster, stronger. I should have put Goblin away the first time. Then maybe you guys would be real, instead of stupid hallucinations made by my stupid brain. Just say what you came to say and then leave me alone!” The last part was said in a whisper-yell, and then ripped his mask off and cradled it in his hands for a second, before letting it fall to the ground. 

“But I already know what you are going to say. That I don’t deserve to be Spider-Man, that I’m a joke, a failure who couldn’t protect you like I was supposed to.”

The rest of the team shared a concerned glance, and Danny tried to speak again but was once again cut off by Spidey. 

“And you’re right. I’m so, so sorry! Please leave me alone, just leave me alone, leave me alone.”

He fell silent, curling back up into a ball and rocking back and forth above them. 

“This is going to be harder than we thought,” whispered Danny to the rest. 

Sam looked at them in shock and mouthed “hallucinations?”

Power Man shrugged and gestured for Danny to start talking. 

“Spider?” Questioned Danny. He didn’t move, so Danny kept talking.“I know you cannot see reason or truth right now, and that you are scared and confused, but we are not dead. If you would look up,” at this Peter buried his head deeper, “you would see that all of us, Ava, Luke, Sam, and me, are fine and are very much alive.”

Sam, unable to contain himself, butted in, “Yeah we’re fine! Goblin, that nasty creep, tricked you! He told you we were dead but he lied! Look at us, we’re fine!”

At this, Peter’s eyes peeked out of his ball and glanced at them, eyes moving over each one of them as if staring into their souls. 

In a hoarse whisper, Peter asked, “But I saw your symbols. They were covered in blood! He had your helmet,” as he did this he gestured weakly to each one of them, “he had your glasses, he had your amulet and he had your dragon symbol! And he said that he kille-”

Ava interjected, cutting him off. “Goblin said. But did he show you our bodies? All of the stuff he showed you can easily be copied and splattered with fake blood. He wanted to break you, to make you think we were dead. Peter, he lied to you.”

At this, Peter untangled himself from the wall and crawled down, but still kept his back pressed to it as he stood there, glaring suspiciously. 

“So you guys are real? Not hallucinations?”

Luke reached out a hand, gently, slowly, and placed it on Peter’s shoulder. “Peter, we’re the real deal. We’re fine.”

Sobbing, Pete choked out, “Guys, I, I th-thought y-you were d-d-dead!” 

Luke said, “No, we’re fine! See?”

With that, he pulled Pete into a bone-crushing hug, and the rest of the team instinctively moved to join, forming a giant pile with Peter crying happy tears in the middle. 

Unbeknownst to the teens, Coulson and Fury were standing at the door, watching stoically. Well, Fury was stoic, but Coulsen definitely was grinning ear to ear at seeing the expression of happiness and unity from his team. 

Turning to Fury, Coulson whispered, “Don’t be too hard on Peter. He thought his team was dead when he did that to Goblin. Hell, you know Captain America would do the same to any villain if he thought they killed his team.”

Fury’s eye softened and he nodded at Coulson to take their leave, leaving the teens to take care of their distraught leader alone.  
As they left, Fury turned, saying “I want you to make sure the video footage of the fight is kept, but well hidden. The last thing we need is for any of these teens, or, god-forbid, any villains, to find and watch it.”

Coulson gave him a stiff nod and turned on his heel to go and complete the order. 

Meanwhile, a group of teens dragged their leader to their bunks for blankets, movies, and popcorn, only to find their plans ruined by a still sopping wet couch from Nova’s earlier popcorn debacle. 

"Nova!" Screams Ava, chasing the glowstick down the hall for the second time that day as the others laugh, arms looped around each other. 

Peter smiles, knowing everything is okay. He has his family, and they will stand together, and fall together, no matter what comes their way.

**Author's Note:**

> So what did you think? I struggled with the ending a lot, hope it was okay.  
> There might be more one-shots coming, hopefully, there will be!  
> Please leave comments, they feed my soul.


End file.
